Upper Flood Swallet Explained

Upper Flood Swallet
Map:Somerset
Location:Charterhouse, Somerset, UK
Coordinates:51.2989°N -2.7104°W
Grid Ref Uk:ST 50570 55765
Depth:110m
Length:4.1km
Survey:MCG Upper Flood Survey 2012
Discovery:3 October 1968[1]
Geology:Limestone
Entrance Count:1
Difficulty:Extensive system with tight strenuous sections
Access:Leader controlled by Mendip Caving Group; experienced cavers only
Registry:Mendip Cave Registry[2]

Upper Flood Swallet which was originally known as Blackmoor Flood Swallet, is an exceptionally well-decorated cave near Charterhouse, in the carboniferous limestone of the Mendip Hills, in Somerset, England. The cave is part of the Cheddar Complex SSSI.

The entrance was revealed in the Great Flood of 1968,[3] giving the cave its name.[4] It was dug consistently since then with breakthroughs occurring in 1971, 1972, 1985 and 2006.[1]

As of September 2008 it is over 3.5 km in length and around 125 m deep.[5]

The 2006 breakthrough

In September 2006 cavers squeezed through an excavated boulder choke into new passage. In a series of three digging trips they discovered 1.2 km of well decorated cave.[6]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.mendipcavinggroup.org.uk/ufs.html Mendip Caving Group
  2. 260 . Upper Flood Swallet . 2016-08-29.
  3. Web site: Upper Flood Entrance Swallet. Mendip Caving Group. 24 February 2011.
  4. Book: Witcombe, Richard. Who was Aveline anyway?: Mendip's Cave Names Explained. 2009. Wessex Cave Club. Priddy. 2nd. 189. 978-0-9500433-6-4.
  5. Web site: Mendip . UK and Ireland Cave Lengths and Depths . 2007-02-18.
  6. http://www.mendipcavinggroup.org.uk/upperflood2.html Mendip Caving Group